I'll Never Let You Go
by EmbrysGirl325
Summary: Ok i suck at these but here goes: Me, Kami Swan, go to live with my cousin, Bella, for the summer. I meet her family and friends and learn a little about life, love, and surprises along the way. ReViEw please and thank you
1. Chapter 1: Arrival

Many seventeen year old girls would be extremely nervous to leave their comfortable home in Salt Lake City, Utah for the whole summer and spend it with your twenty year old cousin that lived in dinky old Forks, Washington that they haven't seen in at five years.

Oh, but not me. Not stupid me. I _missed _Bella. My older cousin, Bella Swan, had gotten married about a year and a half ago and I thought that it would be a good idea if I would drop in with her for the summer. I hadn't even seen a picture of her new family. I talked to her on the phone for many hours on end that spring. She seemed exceptionally happy with her new husband, Edward, which she had adopted a little girl with just a few months ago. I hoped that I wouldn't ruin her fun this summer with Edward and her daughter.

"Kami, come and get your hugs before you leave!" my over-protective mother yelled from the airplane gate doorway. I sighed and put on a smile and trotted towards my wonderful mother. She had always said that she would always love me more than anyone else on this planet ever would. She and my father had gotten married immediately after college and had me four years later. A perfect little family.

Well, up until daddy died last year. He had colon cancer and he wasn't given long to live. He out-lived the expectations but not by long. Not three months after his six month given time, nine months all-together, he passed away in his hospital. He was Charlie's, Bella's father, younger brother. I have to say, I didn't take it very well. I was just now getting over the whole thing. I still missed him too much, but I thought that maybe this visit to Bella would take my mind off this whole mess.

I reached my mother and gave her a heart-warming hug. She sniffled in my hair. She was at least three inches taller than my five two, petite figure. She patted the back of my hair and let go of me. Tears were streaming down her cheek. "Oh, Momma, come on!" I'll call. I will see you in September I promise. I'm not falling off the face f the earth, I swear."

"I know I know. I'll just miss you. I'm all alone at the house except for Briar." Briar was our sluggish, bi-polar bulldog that hadn't moved from his small dog bed in my room since about January.

"He will keep you company. I love you, Mom." I stepped back into line and smiled at her. "See you in a few months." I waved and turned around just in time to see her wave back; wiping her tears with her other hand.

I entered the plane and looked around for a seat. I gripped my Kavu backpack tighter around my shoulders as I trudged down the small pathway to an empty window seat near the middle. I sat down tiredly and looked out the window, shrugging my jacket and backpack off and onto the floor. _I'm gonna miss Utah._ I sighed and cracked my neck from side to side, wincing when it cracked loudly. I hadn't even noticed the woman sit down next to me.

"Hello, there!" She said jollily. I jumped at the sound of her cheerful voice. I turned to face her. She was a heavy set woman, maybe in her forties, with a huge smile that seemed to never go away. It was almost annoying. I smiled a smile back and said, "Hiya."

"How are you?" She said, taking out her laptop from a large briefcase at her side.

"I'm great. Yourself?" I stared at her Mac Book Pro that she was turning on. That was my number one on my Christmas list I had made for Momma last year. She said she would get it next year. The bills were just piling up from the hospital to the funeral to the burial services. I understood of course.

"Perfect." She said smiling at her computer screen." She noticed me staring after a few minutes. She stuck her hand out in front of us. "I'm Stephenie."

"Kami." I shook her hand and looked at her and she let go and started to type on her computer. Her brown hair fell across her shoulder s in rolling waves. Her chubby cheeks reminded me of babies face. She was wearing a dark red sweatshirt and a pair of black sweat pants. "It's nice to meet you Kami." I gave her one last look and grinned. I turned back the window and leaned my head on it. The "Please Fasten Your Seat Belts" sign lit up, so Stephenie and I pulled our belts on and tightened them. We began to move and I stared out the window. I smiled as we began to pick up speed along the track. I picked up my back pack and pulled out my IPod touch. I watched as the plane finally took off and crawled slowly but surely through the blinding blue sky. I turned on my music and found my favorite band, One Republic. I put their new album on shuffle. The first song was Good Life. I decided not to change it, seeing as it was the most relevant song to this day. I sung the song in my head and watched as the puffy clouds rolled by. I heard Stephenie sigh loudly and then close her laptop.

I closed my eyes and let myself fall asleep. _Only 2 more hours..._

"Welcome, everyone, to Seattle, Washington. Please exit the plane in an orderly fashion and please enjoy your stay in Seattle. This is Chance Garner, your pilot, signing off." The loudspeaker on the plane made my eyes immediately pop open. I looked over at Stephenie's seat. She had already gotten up. What a shame. I looked to my other side, the window, and saw the darkening, gray sky. It was sprinkling. Ugh. Well, what else was I to expect? Bella had warned me about the daily downpours and constant rain. I said that I would get used to it. Maybe. I got up slowly and stretched my tight and sore muscles. They were throbbing. Ow. I bent down slowly and picked up my backpack and merged with the exiting crowd.

I made it out of the line and onto the airplane ramp. I saw many people waiting to get on the plane I just left. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into. Psh, Salt Lake City... They were crazy. I walked on.

Then the nerves hit me. What if Bella decided that I shouldn't stay with her? What if her family and new relatives and friends didn't like me? What if I didnt like it there? What if she forgot to pick me up? I started to breathe deeply as I made my way to the luggage pickup. When I got there, I found where my airplane's baggage was unloading. I swiftly made my way over there. I waited near the rolling line till my luggage rolled out. My brown Samsonite suitcase was a gift from Charlie many years ago. I walked towards it to go pick it.

But, before I could even reach my hand out to get it, a pale white hand gracefully pulled it up from the line. I shook my head and frowned. What just happened? I followed where my luggage went. Before me stood the most beautiful man i had ever seen. His skin was white as snow, almost translucent. His amber hair was tousled perfectly on his head, pulling off the whole just-got-out-of-bed look perfectly. He had on a pair of loose jeans and a black button up, adding to his light complexion.

"Hello." He had a irresistible smile plastered on his face. "I'm Edward Cullen, Bella's husband." Oh thanks Bella. Take the most perfect boy in the universe for yourself. "You're Kameron, correct?"

I sighed. I hated when people used my real name. No need at all. "It's Kami. It's great to finally meet you, Edward." I flashed him a toothy grin. He returned it with a warm, contradicting smile. The warmness didn't match his skin tone. I shivered. I tried to hide my chills on my tan arm.

"No no no. The pleasure is all mine." He set down the suitcase carefully and reached to me and took me a soft hug. I hugged him back surprised. He was freezing. Too cold to even imagine. I wanted to let go and was about to but at that exact moment, he let go.

"Trying to steal my man, Kams?" My old nickname made me smile. I grinned ear to ear and followed the voice behind me to see Bella, my cousin, walking toward Edward and I. _Oh. My. God. _When did she change so much? She was just as pale as Edward and her eyes were the same shimmer golden-brown. Her old familiar voice was exchanged with a sing-songy ringing voice. Beautiful. Her light brown hair fell in perfect, small waves around her shoulders. She had on tight skinny jeans with black high heels and a frilly, white top. Again, beautiful.

"Belly! I've missed you so much!" I ran to her and hugged her for the first time in many years. "You look so... different!" I smiled and let go of her. "When did you get so cold?" She felt just like Edward did.

"It's a Forks thing." She smirked and stared me up and down. She took in my baggy gray sweat pants and blue school t-shirt. I looked like a freaking hobo next to her. She grinned and hugged me again. "It's so good to see you, Kami. We are going to have so much fun this summer." I nodded and we walked back to Edward. But someone was with him now. Next to Edward, holding his free hand, was a young girl, shy and cherubic, holding a small reddish-brown stuffed wolf with gloved hands. Her hair was bronze, the color of Edwards, which I thought was strange, as she wasn't really their child, and rolled down her head in loose curls. Her deep chocolate eyes poured into mine. Even though her face was completely blank, I could tell that she was smiling on the inside. It seemed as we got closer, Edward tightened his grip on her hand.

"Nessie, come here, girl. I want you to meet someone." Bella sang out to the girl. Edward looked at Bella for a split second, furrowed his eyebrows, and let go of her hand. She stepped forward slowly and gracefully. She held the solf in both hands now, looking straight at Bella as she walked. Bella went to meet her. Bella swiftly and lithely bent over to pick her up. She hopped into Bella's arms just as gracefully as Bella was. "Kami, this is Renesmee, my daughter."

"Hi, Renesmee, I'm Kami, your mother's cousin. How are you?" I tried to be as sweet as possible. I had a bad record when it came to babysitting.

"Fine, thank you." Renesmee's voice was high pitched and dripped with sweetness and happiness. Her voice let me determine her age more easily. She must have been 7 or 8 years old. I took a step closer to her and Bella. She took her lingering gaze from me and to Bella. She nodded a tight nod and let Renesmee hold her hands out to me. I was caught off guard. I noticed that Edward had suddenly came to Bella's side and taken a hold of her arm. Bella ignored it. Renesmee was still reaching for me. I reached back and picked her out of Bella's careful arms. She hugged me tightly and breathed hot air down my neck. It gave me chills. As soon as the hug started, it was over. Edward had snatched Renesmee from my hands and set her back on the ground. I looked at Edward, confused, and to Bella. She was standing erect and staring at Edward.

"It's really late. We must get back to our home. You have to meet my family." Edward's voice calmed the nervous mood in the air. We walked outside, Bella and I chatting about Washington and the shopping and the beach. She recommended we got cliff diving one day. The cool air stung me like a mad hornet. It was freezing! Yet it was in the middle of June. I may never get this place. We got to Edward's silver Volvo and we got into the car, Edward and Bella in the front, Renesmee and I in the back. Edward and I talked about his family for a while, Bella adding a few things here and there.

What I got was that Emmett was the hilarious, huge, big brother with Rosalie, the beautiful, blond as a wife. Edward advised for me to steer clear of her for a while. Jasper was also Edward's brother, a little shy, yet refined. Alice, the pixie-like, friendly sister, was married to him. The masterminds behind all this, Carlisle and Esme, were inviting and loving. I was told to not be worried about being shunned . They were mostly welcoming. I didn't realize that Edward was driving extremely fast until Bella said, "Almost home, Kams." I tried not to show my surprise. I just said, "Wow, that was quick."

Finally, Edward slowed down and pulled into a windy driveway leading into the woods. I looked out the window at the almost completely black woods . I could still see the trees and leaves whizz by in a blur. Every now and then I would see a flash of something yellow in the woods. I disregarded it as an eye trick. We finally pulled up to a huge lit up mansion. It was monstrous yet homey at the same time. As we climbed out of the car and up the steps to the porch, Bella whispered to me to just relax. She could see I was extremely nervous. I lightened up a bit. Edward turned to me and smiled. I tried and failed to return it. I felt a tugging on my sweat pants. I looked down to see Nessie pulling on my sweat pants.

"Don't worry, Kameron. They'll love you." She said quietly to me. I was dumbfounded at her. She sounded so educated and old fashioned. It didn't even bother me that she used my real name instead of my nickname. It sounded so beautiful when she said it. I grinned at her and her lips twitched into a smirk like smile.

"Time to go in." Bella interrupted our moment with the sign to go in. Edward opened the door wide to reveal a beautifully layed out living room and open foyer. I decided that someone must have decorated the house, professionally. A grand piano was placed on a raised stage near the back of the room. The whole back wall was made completely of glass. It overlooked the towering forest and a rippling river. I was awe struck as a trudged slowly and clumsily over to the glass wall to examine the outside better. As I finally got to really look at the forest, someone's odd, singing voice rang out throught out the echoing room.

"They're back, guys! Come on!." I looked up to see a girl, about Edward's age, with cropped, spiky, dark brown hair. Her eyes were also a bright bronzy color. They seemed to be much larger and more defined with longer and softer eyebrows than Edwards. I was beginning to wonder if they all put on contacts for this one occasion. She couldn't possibly any taller than four foot ten, seeing as I was five foot and, as she was prancing down the stairs, almost dancing, she could barely be seen over the railing. She stepped off the stairs and continued to dance to Bella and me. Edward had moved off to the other side of the room with Renesmee to greet his entering family members.

"Hi Kami! I'm Alice Cullen , Edward and Bella's sister." She shook my hand quickly then took me in an embrace. Goodness, this whole coldness thing really was a Forks thing. She smiled up at me. "Here is your house warming gift." She handed me a small velvet box. She popped it open and showed me a small ring with a white pearl in the center.

I gasped. "Oh wow, Alice." I took it from her hands. "Thank you so much." I smiled and hugged her with one arm. I slipped on the ring and examined it. Pearls were my favorite stone ever. I wondered how they knew i wanted pearls...

"That's from all of us." Bella said into my ear, quietly as Alice walked away, meeting a tall man that just finished walking down the stairs. He had on skinny jeans and gray Converses with a light gray sweater. He leaned down to kiss Alice swiftly on the cheek and then the lips. He smiled and looked up at me, smile turning into a hurt expression. I nodded to him and tried to smile at him. He nodded back, tousling his honey blond hair. "That's Jasper." Bella said once again into my ear. She turned around slowly."If he looks like he is in pain, don't take it personal. He has.. a problem."

I heard booming laughter in the next room, which made me flinch. I barely noticed two beautiful adults walking towards us. The male had a firm physique, at least 6 inches taller than the shorter female walking next to him. He also had honey blond hair and, again, golden brown eyes. They both had the same eyes, really and truly. The female hair was a curly caramel-color that reminded me of a supermodels hair. She was a very thin, but not stick thin. She was curvy. Like me. Her welcoming smile brought me into them.

"Hello, Kami. My name is Carlisle and this is my wife, Esme." He shook my hand and flashed a model-like smile, white and wide, to me. Esme did the same as she bent over to hug me. They stepped back and Bellaslipped her arm around my waist to lead me to the edge of the room. "Here comes Emmett." Bella said bluntly. Right at that moment, a hulking man stepped out of the kitchen with a wacky grin on his face.

"There's my Bella!" He bounded over to Bella in two quick steps. He picked up Bella by the waist and hugged her enthusiastically. He set her down and turned to me, scared. "Well, hey there! I'm Emmett. But Bella must've told you all about me, huh?" He winked att me and bent down to hug me. They were all so cold. I was about to ask to go and retrieve my jacket from my suitcase. He let go and stared down at me. His eyes were the same, just as the others. I was afraid that his muscles were going to pop out of his long sleeve t-shirt. He never seemed to lose his silly grin and small dimples. He brushed through his dark, black curls every now and then. Then, as if a silent bell sounded for a dog to come back to his owner, Emmett turned suddenly and ran to the dark side of the room. Out from the shadows, the most beutiful being that I had ever laid eyes on emerged.

Her straight blond hair fell down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were a little darker than the rest of the families but stil had that golden tint. She had on a tweed green jacket with black trousers that made her pale skin even lighter. No sign of friendliness emitted from her, unlike everyone else. She didn't smile at me at all, barely acknowledging me except for a short nod to me when I must have stared for a little too long. She moved closer to Emmett and took his hand tightly in hers and Stared straight at Edward. Edward sucked in a breath of air and exhaled quickly. Emmett's smile was gone for the firsst time since i met him. He looked at me for a few seconds and lead the beautiful girl up the stairs and down a hallway.

"That was Rosalie. She doesn't take new comers too well. Trust me. I know." Bella told me. Everyone was talking amongst themselves. Alice to Jasper. Edward to Esme and Carlisle. Even Renesmee seemed to be in deep conversatio nwith her stuffed wolf. "I think it may be time to go to our cottage." Nessie seemed to have heard that.

"I agree." She said quietly, looking straight at me.


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting

When we traveled through the winding pathway to the small cottage that Edward and Bella lived in, I was truly scared for my life. The rocky path was rugged and filled with roots that, if I wasn't careful, would have tripped over in a second. Bella held my hand as she swiftly lead me and Nessie to the cottage, Edward behind me with my luggage.

"Is there a reason that you live alone out here? Without everyone else, I mean?" I could have sworn I heard a soft growling behind me, behind Edward eve. I tried not to let the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end. We finally reached the field that the cottage was situated. It was almost part of the field . It practically blended into the background. It was so cozy and small, I was afraid that there would not be room for me.

Bella finally answered me happily throwing her head back to look at Edward, a smile on her face, "I guess we just need out privacy." I didn't want to know what that meant... We got to the door and Edward unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing a homey living room, furnished with modern, soft-looking furniture. The ceilings were low and there seemed to be no doorways except for two just down the hallway. Only huge open spaces in the wall leading to the small sitting room and Nessie's room, which she had seemed to retreat to the minute we got inside the door, acted as doors. I gazed around and let Edward take my stuff down the hallway and into a closed door. I peeked my head around in the sitting room. Very cozy. I turned back around and pondered for a few seconds.

"Uh, Bella?" I asked.

"Yeah, Kams?"

"Where is the kitchen?"I

"What? Oh, we go up to the main house for breakfast." She answered quickly and smoothly. I nodded and continued to explore the house. I went past Nessie's room. It was a soft green and had a small twin bed in the center with a mountainous pile of stuffed animals,. But, strangely enough, the only animal that was there was a wolf. She must really love them. Nessie was laying on her bed playing with two wolves. I pulled myself into the room and she looked up. She breathed in a slow breathe and closed her eyes.

"Hi, Kami." She opened her eyes. Her voice flowed through my ears like butter. "Do you want to play?" She held up a wolf.

I walked a little closer and looked down at her. She grinned a menacing smile at me. It sort of freaked me out. But what could I do? She was irresistible. I took the wolf from her hands and sat on the edge of the bed. Her smile widened and she moved her gaze down to the stuffed toys. She began to speak in, what I guessed, her own personal language. I didn't recognize one word up until she said the last word. _Jacob._

Many thing happened in that next minute. A ear-splitting howl came from the woods. It seemed so close it was almost scary. I jumped from the bed and looked at the window of Nessie's room. A dark figure was moving towards the cottage. I could only see shadow. It was enough for me to become panicked. I scooped up Nessie who struggled against me. She was unbelievably strong. I sprinted to the living room where Bella was sitting on the couch, groaning.

"Bella! What was that?" I put Nessie dpwn, expecting her to go to Bella. Instead, she ran towards the door, jumped up to unlock it, and kicked it open. Bella just stared after her, smirking. Edward then came into the room.

"Is he here?" He asked calmly to Bella. She nodded looking up to me. She finally popped off the couch and to me. She took my hand and led me outside, followed by Edward. Edward wound his arm around Bella's waist, still allowing me to hold her hand. She led us both to the sound of Nessie's hysterical laughter on the other side of the field. It seemed impossible that she could have traveled that far in such a short amount of time, but, as I didn't look into the details too much, I disregarded it. I eventually began to be able to see in the pale moonlight and I saw Renesmee's pale skin reflected off in the moonlight. I almost began to run to her, but Bella held me back. We were almost to Nessie when I realized that someone was with her, standing above her. He was the tallest man, no, person, I had ever seen. He had no shirt on that showed of his touchable six-pack and strong cut off jeans were about to pop off because of his huge leg muscles.. His muscular, toned body made me melt. His skin was dark, russet like. Almost a hard copper tone. He was obviously an Indian descendant. He had pitch black, short hair that was wet as if he had just taken a shower. I figured he had to be at least six foot seven or eight. His dark brown eyes shimmered in the moonlight and looked stright at me, a confused look on his face.

"Hey hey, Bella!" He took his gaze off me and and ran over to Bella in quick strides. He hugged her quickly and shook hands with Edward. "Edward." He said, grinning. His voice was rough and hoarse but utterly wonderful. Finally, Bella turned to him and puled at his arm. She dragged him over to me and said, "Jacob, this is Kami Swan, my cousin from Salt Lake City. You remember me telling you about her, right?" She gave him a knowing look and Jacob, again wiht his confused face, stared at Bella. Then recognition spread across his face.

"Oh, right! Kami, it's a pleasure to meet you!" He shook my hand then looked down at me. I was flabbergasted. He was burning! I could have sworn he was dying of a horrible fever if I hadn't of seen his calm face and happy girn.

"Wow, you're hot." I exclaimed. I hadn't realized exactly what i had said until he laughed so hard that he feel to his knee. Bella and Edward also laughed. Renesmee giggled in the background.

"Why thank you, Kami." He stood up and wiped his face. "But, yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I guess it's a La Push thing." I recognized that name. It was the reservation town just north of here. He must have been part of the Quileute tribe up there. Renesmee finally got up from her seat in the grass and jumped on Jacob's leg.

"Rawr!" She yelled and bit his leg playfully. He laughed and pulled her up in her arms, twirling her in the air like and airplane. He finally let her down and she reached up to hold his hand.

Bella whispered quietly to me, "He may be 18 years old but he acts just like a kid." Right as she said this, Jacob started to run away, chuckling, and Nessie followed him, running just as fast. Impossibly fast for a seven year old. I gasped.

"Wow. He is like a little kid." I laughed. "But why does she run so fast, Bella? That's like insane how fast she runs." I stared as she tackled Jacob to the ground.

"Oh she just i like that I guess." I never really got a straight answer, but I just nodded.

Jacob and Nessie finally jumped up from the ground hand in hand, Nessie having to almost jump to reach his hand. "Hey, Bella, Kami! I got a request for ya."

"What is it, Jacob?" Bella asked, looking at, not Jacob, but Edward. I looked at Edward too. He had a slight smirk on his smug face for a split second then straightened it out.

"My friends and I are throwing a party slash bonfire tommorow night, around six. Do you want to come and hang out for a while? Bella, you can bring Ness." He winked toward Bella. She kept the hard look on her face and narrowed her eyes. Her face softened and she nodded.

"Of course we will come. No problem." Bella looked at Renesmee and snapped at her. "We have to go, honey. Tell Jake bye, okay?" Nessie nodded and hugged Jacob when he got down on his knees to get on her level. Jacob looked at her in the eys for a few intimate seconds. I looked away because i was afraid that I might have been interupting a very close embrace of lovers. Nessie finally let go of Jacob and she skipped over to Edward taking his hand. Jacob nodded at both Bella and Edward. He turned to me then smiled widely.

"Nice to meet you, Kami." Why, yes it was. He leaped off, running into the woods.


	3. Chapter 3: Happening

After Jacob left, I realized that I was deadly tired. That nap from the plane hadn't done any good. I asked Bella to lead me to my room.

"Here we are." Her voice chimed into a small, cozy room with a soft-looking queen bed dressed with a green comforter. I smiled at Bella.

"Thanks, Bella. Thank you for letting me come here this summer." I went to my suitcase and pulled it open as Bella plopped gracefully down on the bed. She looked at me, her perfectly plucked eyebrows furrowed.

"Kami, do you know how long it has been since I have seen you? I've missed you terribly." Bella's ringing laugh resounded through the room. "Plus, Edward has made many demands since marrying me to meet some of my family. All he has met is Mom and Charlie."

I smiled as I pulled on some comfy cheerleading shorts I had bought from my neighbors yard sale in the 7th grade. I kept on my t shirt i had on from the plane. It was my lucky school shirt. Jumping on my bed, I sighed loudly. Bella, instinctivly, reached behind me and brushed her hand through my hair. I closed my eyes and suddenly wanted my head to hit that pillow immediatly before I started snoring in front of Bella. Bella's fluid movements throught my hair was not making me anymore awake. For a irmeasurable moment, I sat and let her play with my hair. Then, She whispered in my ear.

"Get to sleep, Kams. We have a party to go to tommorow. Get your rest." Her sweet voice rang throught my ears like silk. I didn't feel my head hit the pillow nor did I feel Bella get up from the bed. All that mattered now was my insane tiredness and the softness of the plump bed...

When I got up that next morning, my head was pounding with the largest migrane humanly possible. I groaned under my breathe whenever I turned my body. I hadn't realized that I had fallen off my bed and landed with a soft thud on the carpeted floor. _Ugh. _My first day in Forks was not going well. And I had been up for a total of three minutes. Great.

Edward walked past the door and peered in. "Are you alright, Kami?" He asked skeptically.

"Fine." I threw the covers off me and pulled myself into Indian style on the floor. "My head is pounding. Do you have an Asiprin?" He quickly was by my side. He pulled me up into a standing position and held me up wiht ease. I held my head wiht both hands as he lead me the small bathroom across the hallway. He sat me down on the bathtub side and pulled a bottle of Aspirin out of the mirror. He swiftly shook two out. He filled up a small glass of water and slipped both into my hand.

"Thank you so much, Ed." I looked up at hhim. "Is it alright if I called you Ed?" He nodded and smirked.

"My brothers call me that all the time. It's fine with me." His smile was so beautiful, even in a smirking way. I almost melted. I forgot about the cup of water in my hands for a moment. Even my headache almost went away. He turned away to go out of the room and I snapped out of it. I took the pills and walked back to my room. I pulled out my suitcase and threw on a pair of ripped jeans. I took of my shirt and kept my pink tank top on. I was about to walk out of the room when I realizd that it was much to cold for something this skimpy. I pulled on a purple sweatshirt over my tank top.

As I entered the living room, I noticed that Nessie's room was empty and there was no sign of Edward. Bella was walking around the room, pacing almost.

"Hey Bella. Where is everyone?" I called to her.

She jumped and turned to me. "Hey Kami. They went up to the main house." She looked out the window. "We should go soon too. Breakfast is ready up there."

I nodded. We walked out of the house and follwed the same winding trail up to the huge mansion. It was much easier seeing as the morning light guided us better than the sinking sun at dusk. As we reached the house, I had this strange feeling. I couldn't place my finger on what it was. It felt as if a force of gravity was pushing me towards the house. As if... almost like someone was literally pulling me to them. I followed the feeling into the house and into the kitchen. There at the oven and stove was Esme, cooking away with Carlisle and Jasper. I smelled the air. It smelled as if a country meal had just been served and dug into. It smelled of pancakes and waffles and eggs wiht syrup. Bacon mixed into thewhole group of breakfast smells. Alice was sitting at the table with Nessie in her lap. Nessie was eating.

"Hey guys." Bella sang out. At that moment, Edward walked through the open doorway into the kitchen. I wanted to ask where Emmett and Rosalie were, but i decided not to. I had a feeling Rosalie didn't want to be around me. Edward scoffed and grinned toothily at Bella. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"Hello there!" Esme and Carlisle said. Alice and Jasper smiled at me and Nessie was too intent on eating to say hi. I understood. My tomach was growling very loudly. Immediatley I felt a push on my back. It was Edward. He pushed me down in a chair across from Alice.

"We already ate." Esme said as she set a heaping plate of food down in front of me. I barely registered what food it was while I scarfed it down. It was utterly delicious. I sighed and leaned back. "Was it good?" Esme asked me.

"Delicious!" I nodded and leaned my head back, closing my eyes. I heard footsteps behind me. I thought that maybe the loud, hulking footsteps were Emmett's. But why would there be three sets of them? There wasn't three Emmetts... I stood up from my chair and turned around, seeing who had come inside the room. Among the three was Jacob. Immediatly, he bounded over to me and pulled me into a hug.

"Hiya Kami!" He let go. "It's good to see you again. Still on for the bonfire tonight?" I smiled

"Why of course!" He walked to Bella and hugged her softly and then to Nessie, kissing the top of her head.

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. He always seemed to treat Nessie like a sacred queen. I laughed silently at that. This huge guy treating the worlds smallest seven year old like a perfect little angel. I didn't notice the two boys behind Jacob until he began walking towards the food on the counter, which he began to stuff on a too-small plate for him. They were both equally tan and tall as Jacob, yet Jacob was still abotu two inches taller than both. They had the same huge, emotional, black eyes. They were comforting. One of them had a small orange shirt and the other with a black polo. The one with the orange shirt was staring at me unblinkedly. The other, strangly, seemed as if he was avoiding me at all cost. Everytime I would look towards him, he would step back an inch.

I was offended by this at first, but then I realized that maybe he was shy. He was a little shorter than the other but easily a foot taller than me. His black eyes seemed to be able to see through you, they were so clear and defined. He had a lazy grin on his face that seemed to never go away. His jet black hair was cut to a crew cut on the top of his head. He may have been avoiding my gave and moving away from me, but I could tell he was curious.

Then, there was Mr. Orange Shirt. He was utterly breathtaking. His skin had absolutley no flaw, unlike the obvious younger Black Shirt. He had not yet looked at me either. I could tell the moment he came in that he was engulfed with the smell of the fabulous food. His eyes were equally as beautiful, yet they were a lighter black, almost a dark brown and they were calmer than Black Shirt. His dark black hair was a in a short, spiky style. His face was free of wrinkles or lines. Perfection. I tilted my head to the side and watched with a parted mouth as he glided across the kitchen between Jacob and Black Shirt.

Jacob continued to stuff his face, as did the other two. Mr. Orange Shirt never did look at me. When he was done wiht his third heaping helping, he set the plate down in the sink. Everyone from Edward's family had been talking amongst themselves, almost ignoring Jacob and his friends. Jacob was talking to the youngest of the two friends, who was sitting next to him on the floor.

"Seth, when are we gonna go get the wood fo r the bonfire?" Ah so his name was Seth, huh? I tried to look like i was interested in the loose hair tie I had wrapped through my fingers. I cast quick glances back at the Mr. Orange shirt. I could tell that he knew I was looking at him. He was murmering to Seth in an inaudible monotone. I stopped playing with the hairtie and pushed my self up from the chair i plopped myself down in after Jacob got his food.

For the first time, Mr. Orange Shirt looked up at me.

In that instant, three things happened. One: Edward gasped a qucik gasp and shot up from his chair at the head of the table, knocking the chair to the ground wiht such force that a leg cracked off of it. Two: Mr. Orange Shirt flew out of the room so quick I could barely see him. All I knew was that he was staring straight at me the whole time. Three: Jacob and Seth lunged at me, grabbing hold of both my arms.

I had to admit. I was scared to death. I wanted to see what I did to Mr. Orange Shirt that offended him so bad and, apparently, Edward, who was whispering something quickly to Bella and Carlisle. They weer both glaring at me with amazed eyes. Seth was pulling me towards the front door, which Mr. Orange Shirt had fled from. Jacob was furiously shaking his head at him.

"Embry needs to go to Quil. Let him be. She can wait." Oh yeah thanks Jacob. Let's talk like I wasn't even there. That's nice. But wait... So Mr. Orange Shirt was Embry? Hm... I tried pulling away from Jacob but he just stared me down. "Stop." I immediatley stopped. That was the first time since I met him that he wasn't smiling. It was utterly starnge. Bella got up from Edward's opposing eye and walked to Seth and Jaocb, ptting a hand on each of their arms.

"Please, let her go." Bella said quietly. Se glanced at both of them before turning her stare to me. I stared back with questioning eyes. She shook her head, lips pursed, and looked down at the ground.

"Bella, tell me what's going on!" I halfway shouted. Everyone turned to look at me. Jacob looked astounded, while Seth had a blank expression on his face that was sort of humorous. Edward, Alice, Esme, and Carlisle were all looking at me with kind eyes and soft expressions, though all were surprised by my outburst.

Only Nessie seemed to be the only one unfazed by the shouting. She was walking toward me and tugged at my pant legs. I looked down at her and Jacob let go of me, followed by Seth. She held her hands up for me to pick her up. I did and as soon as I positioned her on my hip, her hand grazed my neck softly. I felt as if an electric shock hada passed through me. I saw flashng images of Jacob and Bella. Edward gasping. Embry flying from the room. Alice tightening her grip on Nessie as Jacob lept from his seat to grab me. I let a soft gasp escape me and, with that, Seth took her from my hands and passed her to Jacob, who cradled her in his arms. I was going through the images in my mind over and over again. I didn't notice Rosalie or Emmett enter the room. Rosalie brushed past me and went straght to Edward.

"What is going on down here?" She asked in an annoyed tone.

Edward hesiatated for half a second, then leaned over to her ear and whispered something into it. Her face went blank as he leaned back up. After a few seconds, her face stretched into an amused smile and she began to giggle. Woah. That was never goign to happen again, I guessed. She stopped, kepping the smile on her perfect lips.

"Another one? No way... Seriously?" She smiled wider and turned her face towards me and bugged her glowing eyes out at me. "God, her? Oh, wow..." She turned and as she brushed past me again, she looked at me with civil eyes and walked into Emmetts welcoming arm. He had smiled his lazy grin at me and waved. I feebly waved back.

"Hey Kami. Everything alright?" He asked.

"I don't know. Ask Jacob." I shot a hateful stare at jacob which he blew off completely. Emmett and Jacob met eyes and I immediatly knew what that meant. Later. He woud tell him later. Emmett nodded and began to walk back up the stairs with Emmett. I swear I coul hear Emmett say my name once and Rosalie repeating my name several times. I furrowed my eyebrows and frowned.

"Okay..." I backed ouit of the room and looked into it, watching everyone. I knew I looked extrmely small in that enormous room, but I didn't care. "Would someone please tell me what's going on? What did I do to the poor guy?"

They all exchanged looks before Jacob looked up at me and shuffled to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. He looked me straight in the eye and said, "Everything."


	4. Chapter 4: Ready

By the time the late afternoon rolled around, mostly everyone had forgotten about this morning. Except for Embry and Seth. Embry had not returned and Seth would not stop giving me the worst of looks. I tried to ignore Seth's looks but it was extremely hard, seeing as he was glued to Jacob's side. And I hung out with him, Bella, Edward, and Nessie all day put in the field by Bella's house. Awkward.

"Oh my goodness, Kami!" Bella suddenly exclaimed after checking her watch. "It's nearly six! We need to get ready for this bonfire right now or we will be late."

Jacob agreed and told us goodbye flashing Nessie a huge grin, which she returned. I sat up from my spot in the grass and watched as they left the field, entering the woods. Seth didn't take his eyes off of me.

As Bella drug me back to the house with Edward's hand in hers, she talked about the other Quileutes. "Leah and Emily are the other girls in the group that Jacob hangs out with. Emily is married to Sam, one of Jacob's good friends. He may be older but he acts just like other the the younger guys. Leah is Seth's brother. She is... special. Make sure that you get on her good side quick." She pushed me into the bathroom. "Take a good shower."

I did. I let the hot water beat against my back, letting it massage my aching bones. When I got out, I felt refreshed and plugged my IPod into the built -in IHome in the wall. I put it on shuffle. The first song that came up was Time after Time after Ashley Tisdale. I shrugged and let it play. It was an okay song. I hummed the lyrics as i brushed my damp hair and turned it up all the way as I blew my hair dry.

My blonde hair was soft, yet falt. I liked it that way. My tan skin shimmered after I slathered some PINK lotion on. I felt refreshed and new. I applied some light brown eyeshadow and some mascara to compliment my bright blue eyes. The next song that came on after Time after Time was Can't Go Back Now by The Weepies. I loved that song. I kept it playing as i put on some foundation and light bronzer to make myself look nautral, yet covering up andy blemish. I finally looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was geting frizzy already and my make up was just okay. I told myself to deal. I pulled a towel around me and went out of the door., picking up my IPod on the way out. I was about to enter my dor when I heard giggling.

I followed the cute giggling into the living room. There I found Edward and Bella on the couch, laughing and cuddling. They didn't seem to see that I had just walked into the room. They were exchanging sweet kisses and smiling at each other. When I watched that for a few seconds, I had to leave. I heard Edward get up whenever I left the room, following me I guessed. I quickly got into my room and closed the door, locking it behind me before Edward had time to open the door.

The image of Bella so happy with Edward brought back unhappy memories... When Bella was about 10 and I was 7 or 8, we had made a promise. We promised not to let a stupid boy come in between our lives with each other. And it made my heartache to know that she had. I hadn't spoken to Bella for so many years. Since she moved to Forks. That was so long ago... I missed Bella but she obviously didn't.

She was happy without me anyway. At that moment, I knew I shouldn't have came. She had her own life to live without me... I heard the door open behind me right after I pulled on my tank top and underwear, eyes filling up wiht hot tears. I held them back, knowing that if I let them flow, my makeup would be ruined. I turned to see Edward standing right in front of me. Abruptly, he took me in a huge bear hug and didnt let go until I was litterally shivering from his bare skin on mine. I could feel his coldness from through my tank top. He looked me straight in my eyes and told me, "Kami, she may love me but she loves you too." With that, he left. I was confused at how exactly he knew that I was thinking but I tried not to let it bother me.

I continued to dress, forgiving Bella in my head silently, and tried to shake the thought of Edward knowing my intermost feelings. He must be a face reader. He knows what people are thinking by just a look at thier facial expression. I settled on that idea and pulled on a pair or Hollister skinny jeans with a pir on Teva gladiator shoes. I picked out a light grey Old navy cardigan to wear over the tank top I had already put on.

Bella knocked on the door and entered without being asked inside. I looked otward her with, what I guessed, a hurt expression because she came gracefull yet quickly over to my side and hugged me.

"I'm sorry, Kami. I didn't mean to hurt you." I nodded, letting go of her and smiling.,

"It doesn't matter anymore." I looked down at her dark wash, tight, American Eagle skinny jeans and purple sweater. "You look great. Are you ready to go?"

"Of course." She took my hand and we talked towards the door, getting Nessie along the way. Edward was standing at the doorway, waiting for us.

He kissed Bella on the cheek, obviously being careful not to hurt me again. He kissed Nessie on the top of the head and rustled her hair, smirking at the same time. "I love you guys. Have fun." He stared pointedly at me. "But be careful." His face smoothed out and he walked into the hallway and into thier bedroom door.

Bella looked after him and grinned. "God, I love that man." she said to herself.

She took my hand and we walked up to the main house and into the garage. "How about the Volvo? That's alright?" She grabbed a pair of keys and set Nessie in the back seat of a clean, silver, Volvo. I got into the passanger seat as Bella slid into the driver's seat. "Ready to go?" I smiled a toothy smile at her.

"Why, of course I am." I watched her as she backed out of the garage and onto the road. As we sped down the forest surrounded road, I watched as the trees sped by. Every now and again, I would see the same flash of yellow dots in the forest. For some odd reason, this brought me to ask a question.

"Bella, what was wrong with that Embry boy today?" I stared at my folded hand in my lap. I could tell that Bella was getting tense. She didn't answer. "Bella, I know something was wrong. I'm not dumb. I mean come on. Edward smashed a chair and I have a bruise from Jacob grabbing my arm!" I turned my gaze to Bella.

She was gripping the steering wheel with an iron hold. I could see the purple veins on the back of her hands. She swallowed and began.

"Kami, something miraculous happened todday. Something that isn't supposed to happen too often with Jacob's group of people. Tonight, Kami, if Jacob's friends start t treat you differently, in a good way of course," she added when I gave her a raised-eyebrow look. "Then do not be surprised. Today... Embry became a different person. I cannot tell you anything more unless Jacob let's me." And, with that, the conversation was over and we had arrived to the bonfire.


	5. Chapter 5: Seeing

The raging bonfire was blazing on cliff top, shadows of people flickering around rhythmically to the light. I got out of the car after Bella had gotten Nessie out the car. Nessie immediately ran up the hill to the cliff top overlooking the dusky sea. Bella walked to me, not concerned with Nessie at all and put her long arm around my shoulder.

"Let's go kid." She winked at me and stared walking. "Before the wolves descend." She smirked at that and I didn't understand, yet didn't much care, seeing how nervous I was. I wrapped a shaking hand around her waist and walked with her. I could see Jacob clearly from the bottom of the hill and he saw us too. His face lit up and he waved a lazy hand towards us and smiled.

"Heya, girls!" He bounded down the hill and took us in a breathtakingly hot embrace and walked with us as we climbed up the hill. Nessie was already nestled in a small, foldable, camping chair up close to the fire. Her eyes were closed. She didn't open them until Jacob came up behind her and rustled her hair.

Jacob had approached a few of the people standing around the campfire. Among them was Seth. He caught my stare and stared back, not as hateful as before yet still resentful. I moved my gaze from him to the other hulking men standing around Jacob. None of which was Embry. Jacob was discussing something in a low voice with the other guys. They were all standing in a tight circle. I didn't notice that two of them were girls until they all at once looked up and stared at me right as Bella took her arm off my shoulder.

I tried not to look back as I walked with Bella over to some camping chairs on the opposite side of the circle. She whispered to me, "Don't let them bother you. They are about to become insanely nice." And they did, to my surprise. After a few minutes of discussion with Jacob, the group scattered and one by one, they came up and introduced themselves.

The two girls came up and met me first thing after the group separated. The taller, leaner one of the two was Leah Clearwater, Seth's older sister. She had a hard expression on her face but she was friendly, none the less. She seemed calm and in control when I met her but whenever she heard her name being whispered behind her, her face went rigid and whipped around, letting her shoulder length, black hair whip her face.

"What are you dogs talking about me for?!" She barked and ran over to the boys that had been talking about her and playfully hit them in the arm with much force. Both the boys were laughing at her and eventually, Leah began to laugh also.

After she had gotten done watching her friend, or, as I was soon about to find out, cousin, beat up the boys, the other woman turned to face me. I guess I hadn't looked at her face close enough to notice it, but as soon as I looked at her I gasped. The right half of her face looked like it had been mauled by a bear. Her mouth was smiling on the left side, but on the right, set in a permanent scowl. Her dark brown eyes shot through me like a sharp sword. They were incredible. Her long, smoky black hair was pulled up into a smooth ponytail.

She held her hand out and smiled. "Hi Kami. I'm Emily Uley, Leah's cousin. It's nice to meet you." She smiled, the scar's moving on her face. I smiled back. She was utterly beautiful.

"Hi Emily. I guess you know who I am." When I said that, he smile disappeared and was taken place by a sorry frown.

"Kami.. I'm sure that everyone knows who you are already." She left after that, letting a few of the boys ome up to meet me. Among the three were the two boys that Leah had hit. I learned that those two's name were Jared and Paul, both of which were towering over me. Paul was a bit shorter than Jared and also looked younger, maybe Jacob's age. Jared was also tall in stature and had bulging muscles which seemed to bulk out of his shirt. I shook both of their hands.

The next boy was definetly Jacob's age. His muscles were just as toned and Jared's and her miraculously perfect. I wanted to touch them but I resisted. He looked incrediblly like Embry, yet with a buzz cut and a more childish face. His silly girn made me want to laugh. I shook his hand and he anounced that his name was Quil.

"Hey, Quil. Nice to meet you, I'm-" TI was interuppted by all three of them.

"WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE!" They said in unison. They didn't miss a beat. Wow! Had Jacob really told them all about me? From behind the three boys, I saw Emily with a small girl, probably about the same age as Nessie, yet maybe a few years younger. With Emily was Leah and another beautiful girl with short, flat, black hair and long eyelashes covering her light borwn eyes when she blinked.

She came up to me and hugged me immediatley. "Kami, hi I'm Kim, Jared's girlfriend." I mumbled a nice ot meet you and she walked up to Jared and wrapped a small, thin arm around his waist. She was just as short as I was. He engulfed her in a intimate hug and kissed the top of her hair. I turned away and saw that Emily was handign the small girl to Quil, making the scene extra strange. He was just so... muscular! He could literally crush that little girl with his pinky.

The small girl in Quil's arm looked at me and smilied a miniscule amount. "Hi, Kami." She had a very high, squeaky voice. Then she said something funny, which I dind't understand at all. She turned to Quil. "Is this Embry's?" I furrowed my eyebrows and tilted my head. Everyone's eyes got big and avoided my gaze.

"What did she just say?" I asked, pointing to her.

"Oh, Claire-Bear doesn't know what she is talking about." Quil met my eyes for a few seconds, his face rigid. He gave Claire a scalding look and she opened her mouth to a perfect O and popped her tiny hand up to her mouth. She muffles out a sorry to Quil, who seemed to not be able to resist a smile. All three of the boys with Kim and Claire walked away.

Leah and Emily stood there still dumbfounded at Claire's question.

"Emily, what was up with that?" I asked raising one eyebrow. Leah scoffed at me and gave me a troubled look. She trdged off to stand with a few of the boys. I turned to Emily once more. "Emily, tell me." She looked up and stared at me for what seemed like a million years.

"It ill all be explained soon enough." With that, she joined Leah. I was left there standing alone next to the fire. As soon as I was abou to sit down, Jacob came up to me with what looked like two girls in thier early to mid twenties. I met them all, which turned out to be Jacob's older sisters. The twins, Rebecca and Rachel were identicall and looked so much like Jacob, it would be hard to distinguish them from a ditance if Jacob was agirl. I giggled to myself at the idea. Jacob a girl... Soon enough, Rachel migrated over to Paul and kissed him. They must be together. How sweet they were a cute couple. Rebecca followed her and left me with Jacob we began to chat about cars, which was one of my main hobbies. Cars just interested me. I knew that me a Jacob would never have an awkward conversation again.

I learned that Jacobwas just an easy person to talk to. About anything really. We got to tlking about Nessie. He talked about her as if he was her soulmate, not her mother's best friend.

As our conversation wound down, I met the final couple people in the group. Sam Uley, Emily's husband. I shook his firm and calloused hand and introduced myself. I noticed that he was a whole lot older than Jacob and Quil. He seemed to be in superiorority over the younger people. Whenever the last two straglers came to meet me, Colin and Brady, Sam seemed to just give them a sertain look and the two younger kids crumbled under pressure. Sam left and Colin and Brady cherred up. They both were, as I decided, a bout one or two ears younger than me, maybe 16 at the oldest. They were extremely pleasent and the only ones who really seemed to keep me a perfect ease. I could see myself becoming friends with these two. They left and I finally plopped down in my chair and closed my eyes, listening to the sounds around me.

Leah and Emily were talking with Kim and Jacob's sister's in hushed whispers. I could hear Quil and Jacob talkign in thier low husky voices, Sam interjecting every now and then. I heard Bella's singsong voice among them. I tried to block the voices out as I thought of Embry. What did Claire mean, "Is she Embry's?" That just didn't make since. He hadn't spoken one word to me, much less claim me... My head began to hurt and I pulled my hands to my temples and rubbed lightly.

As I did this, I noticed the voices stopped. I froze. Not because i wanted the voices to start agian but I realized that it really had gone silent. I opened my eyes and there, standing on the other side of the fire on the edge of the thick forest, was Embry.


	6. Chapter 6: Understanding

I didn't do anything. I couldn't really do anything, could I. Embry walked to the opposite side of the fire, sitting down next to Jacob in an identical camping chair that I was sitting. Everyone was staring, not blinking, at Embry. Everyone except for Sam and Jacob. Quil slowly came and knelt down next to Embry and whispered something in his ear.

I just pulled my knees up to my face and curled up in a ball in my chair. I didn't want to get the same reaction from Embry again. I didn't want to hurt the poor guy. When Quil pulled away from whispering to Embry, Embry nodded and glanced over at me. The second our eyes met, I gasped. I saw more emotion and tribulation in those eyes than any other I had ever seen. He, with difficulty, looked towards Jacob, who was talking in a hushed whisper to him. Embry, still listening to Jacob, stared face forward into the fire and didn't blink.

Quil got up and glowered at me from across the fire. He walked around it and came to me. I still watched Embry and Jacob, who were now both looking straight at me while having their secret conversation. Quil leaned over me and touched my shoulder, blocking my gaze upon the two boys across the fire.

"Kami," Quil spoke, "we need to talk to you. Can you come with us to the beach?" I was about to automatically say yes, wanting to know what was going on that was so peculiar, when Bella appeared next to Quil.

"You don't explain anything to her without my consent, buddy." She practically growled at Quil. He looked fiercely at Bella, a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

"Well, give me your consent now, Bells, because she must know tonight or it will come out eventually without your consent or with." He stated plainly. She hesitated for a second, almost on purpose, but then she nodded, her mouth in a hard line.

"Let me talk to her for a few minutes before you guys go." Quil nodded and gave us our space, standing back a few yards.

Bella sat down in the seat next to me and sighed, looking into the fire. She reached out and took my hand, closing her beautiful eyes."Kami, do me a favor. Okay? You have to promise me you will do this for me."

"Sure, Belly. Anything. Of course." I looked over at her. She was looking at me as if she wanted to cry, but was holding them back with difficulty. She smiled but it quavered.

"Kami, you have to understand that this is one of the hardest things that you will ever encounter in your life. You will never have to make a harder decision than the one you will make tonight. But just promise me this… Make the right choice. I already know you will. But you have to promise me that if you think you made the wrong one after tonight, you must turn right back around and choose the other option. Either way, I just want you to be happy. Promise me, okay?"

"Oh, Belly, I promise. Whatever choice I make tonight, whatever they tell me tonight, I will try and decide right. I won't let you down. I love you, Bells." I leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Kams." She smiled and looked down, letting go of my hand. She looked over her shoulder to Quil and nodded. She got up and brushed my shoulder one last time before merging back into the crowd. Quil waited a few seconds and then looked at me

"Let's go, Kami." He touched my arm and I got up. He led me down the hill we came up. He spoke after a few seconds. "Kami, can I ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, Quil." I looked forwards trying to see ahead of the darkness that enveloped us as we walked farther and farther away from the bonfire. "Anything." I looked over my shoulder as I heard a twig break. I realized that two people were following us down the hill. I didn't have to guess who the two hulking figures were.

"Okay." Quill looked at me. "If I told you that me and my friends, Jacob, Colin, Sam, Jared, Leah… Embry, too, were something… different, would you be surprised?"

I remembered the promise to Bella. I looked deep down inside me and looked for an answer. I answered honestly and truthfully. "No, I really wouldn't be." I glanced behind me once more, seeing Jacob and Embry walking silently behind Quil and me. I gazed back up at Quil. His jaw was tight.

"Mkay… So if I said that you were about to be a huge part of one of our lives, would you be surprised?" He stopped walking and turned towards me. I could barely make out his features but I could tell it was hurting him having to ask me these questions. I quickly answered under my breath.

"Yes." I looked down at my feet. "It would surprise me." I furrowed my eyebrows and tilted my head, looking up at Quil. "Quil, why do you have to ask me all these questions?"

He answered immediately. "Because," he said, "You are about to learn the most important secret of your life and we have to know if you are ready for this." I suddenly felt extremely dizzy and sleepy. I couldn't be later than ten thirty. I looked at my watch. Eleven twenty five. God it was late. I looked back up at Quil and tried to hide my sleepiness.

"Well, Quil, I am definitely ready. Please… I just want to know what is going on. If-"

"You will soon enough." Jacob's husky voice interrupted my sentence. He and Embry had approached us finally. Embry had his hands in his pockets, a navy jacket in between one of his arms and his body. He was staring admirably at me, as if I was a queen. As if it was Jacob looking at Nessie. That look gave me slow shivers down my back.

Quil looked down at me, giving me an encouraging look. This boy understood. I smiled back and looked at Jacob.

"Kami, you have to go with Embry and me." He looked at Embry then. "We need to talk about some matters." Quil started to walk away, when he put a hand on Embry's shoulder and nodded.

"You got this, buddy. I know you can do this." Embry smirked and slapped a hand right back on his friends shoulder. Quil left after that. Jacob began to walk and left me and Embry all alone. All I could do was stare at him. I had a sudden urge to hug him. He looked so desperate for one I wanted to just lunge at him and wrap my arms around him. It was as if something was pushing me towards Embry. It felt like the feeling I got this morning pushing me towards the house before breakfast… it was as if gravity wanted me to be with Embry. Then, for the first time, Embry spoke to me.

"Hi, Kami." He grinned lazily. "I'm Embry Call." His voice was velvety smooth and had a soft rasp to it. It was deep and low compared to my high pitched, bell voice. I couldn't think of anything to say to this simple greeting.

"I know who you are." I looked straight into his darkening eyes. They were so soft and round, like a newborn baby's eye. I had so many questions that needed answering from Embry and all I could muster was, "How has your day been?"

He scoffed playfully. "Unbearable." He smiled wide and looked at me with that Jacob/Nessie look. I decided to call it the Queen look because it looked as if he was about to bow down to me, like a queen.

I thought of a better question as we began to walk behind Jacob. "How has it been so unbearable?" This seemed to pain him, because when I went to look at his face, he had looked away at the ocean.

"That's a little hard to explain." I could tell that what he really wanted to say was, "I can't tell you, Kami." I nodded and looked ahead Jacob was waiting for us.

"Hurry up, guys! We only have a few more minutes till midnight." Jacob called out to us. Embry hurried after he heard that. I rushed to keep up. We caught up to Jacob and I realized that I was extremely cold away from the fire. Immediately as my shivers began, Embry slipped his navy jacket over my shoulders.

I was surprised over this gesture but I didn't say anything as I smiled toothily up at him. He returned the smile.

I pulled the jacket closer to my body and pushed my arms into the sleeves. I caught a whiff of the collar as I tilted my head onto the soft fur inside the jacket. It smelled just like… this may be strange... but it smelled just like vanilla. It was comforting and warmed my insides for a few seconds. Then I opened my eyes and realized that I was walking onto the coldest beach in the continental U.S. with two almost stranger boys that practically radiated heat. Fun.

We finally started walking on the beach after much difficulty. I slipped and fell on the smooth, wet stones on the edge of the beach. With the help of Embry and Jacob, I was pulled up on my feet and led to the sand, safe and sound. When we reached the sand, I looked over at Embry who had not let go of my arm and waist from helping me through the rocks. He let go of my arm but kept a light touch on my hip. I didn't mind. He was keeping me warm and whenever he kept his hand there, the pull of gravity lifted and I didn't feel the urge to attack him.

Jacob finally began to speak. "Kami?" I tilted my head towards him but didn't completely aim my eyes at his face. "We have something very important to tell you." I felt Embry's hand tighten and tense up against my side. "Are you ready for this?"

"This may be the biggest shock of your life. You have to assure us that you are ready." Embry spoke up and stopped on the spot he had walked to, right next to a creaky, fallen log. He spun me around and put both hands on my shoulder and held on tight. It felt indescribably wonderful. "Okay?" He looked into my eyes and, from the slight light we had from the cliff-top fire, I saw ache and hurt in his eyes. It made me physically hurt.

I breathed in deeply. "Okay." I nodded and let the breath out. "I'm ready." I flashed gazes between Jacob and Embry, Embry literally about 5 inches from my face, Jacob right behind me.

Embry smirked at Jacob on last time before declaring: "We're werewolves." And that's where I passed out. Right as the struck twelve. Just like the fairytale stories where the ordinary girl gets the amazing guy. Kind of like the story that my life was about to turn into.

"Kami! Kami, wake up! Kami?" I faintly heard Embry's voice in the distance calling my name as the light came back to my eyes. I slowly fluttered my eyelids open and stared up into the warmest, most glowing eyes I had ever looked into. I realized that it was Embry's welcoming face that I was staring up into. I heard Jacob's voice in the background.

"Sam, this is officially the worst reaction I have ever gotten from a human. Ever. Even from Kim. All Kim did was cry! Kami had to go and do the whole fainting act on us."

I heard Sam's low voice closer to me but quieter, easier on my sensitive ears. "I can imagine. We were putting so much pressure on her before this happened."

"Plus, Embry, he took it the worst than anyone." Jacob's husky voice again.

I groaned out, "Took what worst than anyone?" I sat up slowly with Embry's help and helpful gazes of Jacob and Sam. Jacob opened his mouth to answer my question but right as he was about to answer, Sam cast a knowing gaze on him. Jacob closed his mouth, swallowed back the words and began to speak again.

"You fell on the log pretty hard, huh, Kams? How ya doing?" I rubbed my head and leaned back against Embry's supporting hand. He had his eyes stuck on mine. I looked around the beach we were still on. It seemed we had moved the bonfire to us. It seemed that everyone had migrated down the beach and they were burning a new fire. A _blue _fire. I decided to ask about that later.

The sky was still pitch black with barely any stars at all. Embry's face had barely moved from the place it had been whenever he had… told me… I gasped and tore out of his arms. I crawled backwards on the sand, probably getting sand all on my outfit. Not that I cared. My head was spinning. It was all coming back to me at once… I started to remember walking down to the beach… Embry's look in his piercing eyes… "We're werewolves."

I let out a quivering breathe, staring at Jacob, then Sam, and then stopping at Embry. He was sitting on the sand where he was once holding me. I shivered at the pained look he gave me. I curled up into a ball, only letting my eyes show.

"Embry." I looked pointedly at Embry and held out my hand. He let out a sigh of relief and crawled next to me. That same pull of gravity was back. I just wanted to pull him towards me and hold onto him. He seemed like the only one that could keep me at ease… even if he was a werewolf. As he claimed. I would need proof. Later. For now, I had questions.

I looked up into Embry's calming eyes. "What are you?" I whispered, just enough for him and me to hear.

He sighed. "Kami, I'm a werewolf." I nodded, taking the inevitable truth. He could sense what I wanted. Proof. "Do…" he turned to look at Sam and Jacob. The both nodded in sync. Embry turned back to me and slowly stood up to his feet. "Kami, promise me you won't scream." I nodded.

The next thing that happened was a blur. A deep, ripping sound from the inside of Embry's body seemed to burst out of him and as soon as it was released, Embry disappeared. Just like that. In a blink of an eye, Embry was gone. But in his place, was a colossal, muscular, gray wolf. At least three times the size of a regular wolf. Its leg muscles were bulging at the long gray fur that covered it. On its back and neck, black spots dominated and made its skin full of random splotches of black and light gray against the blue and green light.

But, before I noticed all these spectacular things about the wolf, I had to pull myself out of shock. I had just witnessed a nature miracle. A man transforming into an animal. That just didn't happen every day. I gaped at it and stood up. I began walking towards it, trying to convince myself that this was really Embry Call, the handsome boy I had met on just a few hours ago. Sam and Jacob walked up both sides of the wolf. He had his teeth bared and looked menacing. I wanted to reach out and touch it- I wasn't that far away- but Jacob and Sam held their hands out automatically.

"That may not be a good idea." Bella had come up behind me and patted my back. "How are you, Kams? Shock, huh?" She looked at the wolf with me.

This was too much to take in. Everything I had already known about life was shoved off in place for everything I now had found out in the past twelve hours. It was all too much.

"Everyone, leave!" I shouted, eyes closed. I didn't have to see the reaction on their faces. Just hearing the crackling on the fire and complete silence otherwise, I knew that they were surprised. I opened my eyes and looked at everybody at the fire. They were looking at me, openmouthed and surprised. They were far enough away that I would have plenty of room to do what I wanted to do without them worrying about me. They obviously already knew about he were wolves, not even wasting a glance on the wolf behind me. I turned back around and saw Jacob and Sam staring at me, blank.

"Please, Jacob, Sam… I need my space. I have to talk to him." I said, looking at Embry. Jacob only nodded and began to walk towards the fire. Sam merely began to follow whenever he turned to the wolf and said, "I put a change of clothes on the log. I knew you would need it." The wolf upturned his mouth into a smirk like smile and watched as Sam walked away.

And then there were two. Just me and the wolf. All alone. I looked at it for a second, from a slight distance. I tilted my head and parted my lips, like I always did when I was deep in thought. I reached my hand out, shaking, to touch the wolf. It walked forward slowly and surely, looking at my hand. I walked forward, too, reaching my fingertips to the farthest they could go.

Finally, I touched the wolf's neck and looked into its beautiful eyes. That's when I realized that this wolf really was Embry. This monster was that shy, soft-spoken, sweet boy that I met just a while go. This is the boy that could only look at me that way. He leaned his head into my hand and closed his eyes. I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair and behind his ears. He suddenly opened his eyes and stood up straight, making my hand drop to my side. It broke my trance on him.

He trotted over to the log and as soon as I began to follow, he spun around and growled softly, as if saying no, do not come with me. I nodded and realized that he was going to change back. I laughed at my next thought: would he be naked? I smiled and giggled at the thought as he went behind the log that I was in front of.

He phased back. It was as if the wolf form just folded back into his human form. It was beautiful. Graceful even.

I was in awe as my eyes feasted on the beautiful sight that was Embry Call. His body was utter perfection. His copper-amber skin was glinting in the blue firelight and, from what I could see, his abs went on forever. I couldn't see past his perfect hips. Darn that log. On his burly right arm, he had a round tattoo with many intricate designs in it. I wanted to know what that was, then Embry pulled a knit sweatshirt over him. He finally came from behind the log with a pair of black sweatpants on, no shoes. It made me shiver as he walked towards me. It didn't seem like a suitable outfit for this weather. It was barely 40 degrees out there.

He finally made it to me and as soon as he got within a few feet, gravity was back. It was pulling me towards him. I wanted to climb into his arms and just be held. It seems like Embry had the same feeling. I didn't realize that I was crying until after he pulled my head to his chest and hugged me for the first time. He was so warm compared to my cold tears. I sobbed into his chest quietly. He pet my hair and leaned his cheek against it.

"Don't cry, Kami. I'm here. There's no reason to cry. I'm here." I held on tighter to him as he kissed the top of my head.

"Embry, that was just so… beautiful. I have never seen anything like that. I just can't believe that all this is happening."

"I know, Kami. I know… but Kami there is one more thing for you to know." He looked down at me and I looked up at him.

"Okay. There can't be more surprises worse than the ones I've gotten in the past couple hours, can there?" He didn't answer. He just stared me straight in the eyes. I took that as a yes. I sighed. "Well? What is it, Embry?"

That look of pain came back into his eyes and I pulled a hand up to his cheek.

"Embry," I whispered, "you can tell me. I'll be okay I promise."

"Well, Kami, you don't know what it means but a miraculous thing has happened to me. I have imprinted."

I was confused. What did "imprinting" do to Embry that was so miraculous? "Okay… what does that mean?"

"Imprinting is the act of finding your soul mate. It's like… I have found my other half. It's something that only werewolves really do. Well, us and ducks, I guess. But for ducks it's something completely… you know forget the duck thing." I laughed in my confusion. Soul mate? Other half? That was intense stuff for a nineteen year old. He must have understood my confusion.

"It's as if I have fallen in love," He snapped with his left hand then placed it back on my back, "just like that." I got it now. It was like love at first sight. Just like in the fairytales.

"Okay..." then I realized the most important question. Right as I asked it my stomach dropped and I felt myself come into realization. "Who is this soul mate?"

He tilted his head and I saw the tiniest hint of a smile on his face. "That would be you." And that's where I passed out for the second time, but this time, I don't remember waking up.


	7. Chapter 7: Accept

"She would give everything for happy ever after. Caught in the in between of beautiful disaster. She just needs someone to take her home." That was the first thing I remember hearing after I woke up. I recognized it from one of my favorite songs, Beautiful Disaster. I groaned quietly and stretched comfortably against the soft padding underneath me. Feeling around, I concluded that this was a bed and an extremely soft one at that. I didn't dare open my eyes because I could almost sense that Embry's beautiful eyes would be staring down upon me.

I listened around for any voices that I could recognize. The only voice I could hear was Bella's trilling near the front of the room. I heard steady breathing beside me, hoping that it would be Embry's deep breathing.

I sniffed quietly, letting the soft scent of vanilla and rain enter my nostrils. I recognized Embry's soft scent quickly. That had to have been him sitting next to me. It must have been raining outside. It felt just plain damp and humid in the warm room. It was comforting, how I imagined a mother's womb for a baby.

I mumbled something intelligible and I heard rushing footsteps towards the bed. I felt a hand grab mine and hold tight. And that's when I woke up and spun my head in the direction of my hand. It _was_ Embry who was holding my hand in his. He was leaning over the bed, a look of relief in his emotional eyes. I stared back, flickered a smile, and looked around. Bella, Quil, Jacob, and several other people were surrounding the bed. Jacob and Quil were on either side of Embry, looking at me encouragingly.

"Well, there she is." Bella trilled out loudly. "How you doing, Kams?"

"I- I- I… What's going on? Where am I?" I tried to sit up my Quil quickly put his hand on my shoulder, as did Colin, who was on the other side of the bed.

"Hold your horses, hon." Colin said, getting a hateful look by Embry. He ignored it. "That's not such a good idea. You've been passed out for, like, three hours. Sitting up right now would not be a smart thing to do. And you're at my house, by the way."He was very proud about the last statement.

I saw Leah and Brady on the end of the bed, along with Emily and Kim. I smiled as they cast worried looks on me.

"Wow. Uh, yeah. Head rush. I think I'll just lay here for a while." Everybody giggled and chuckled softly and a few people lingered of, leaving me with Bella, Jacob, Colin, and, of course, Embry. Embry had finally let go of my hand but gravity was here. I wanted to hold onto his hand all day, every day. It was officially a need to be close to Embry. I wanted to talk to him. Now. Alone…

"Bella, go get me some water. I feel dehydrated." Bella left the room. Embry moved up to sit on the bed next to me. Colin removed his hand from my shoulder, reluctantly, after I gave him a look saying "Get out now." He obliged.

Jacob was easy to persuade to leave. Embry just had to give me that queen look and Jacob just smirked and left.

We were alone. Unlike the last time I had fainted, I remembered everything. I remembered Embry telling me that he had "imprinted" on me. I remembered him holding me in his arms, his warm atmosphere radiating from his body. I remembered what he had said about imprinting… This boy, Embry Call, a boy who I had not met till the night before, loved me. I was his soul mate. I was meant for this guy.

I smiled weakly up at him. He returned the smile, yet his was more excited. He was happy I was awake. As was I. I had the gravity feeling every time I looked at him. I reached over and took his hand, letting the gravity drift away. I looked away from him and closed my eye, head aimed towards the ceiling.

"So. Embry." I said hesitating on the question I was trying to muster out.

"So. Kami?" He mocked me and I opened my eyes and smirked.

"Dork." I giggled. "Back to my question. So, Embry? You love me, huh?"

He merely nodded and gripped my hand tighter. I tightened my hand around his. "I'm not sure I can explain the way I felt when I first looked at you. It's as if… everything in the world just disappeared. Nothing mattered. You were the only person I needed, wanted, cared about, saw. My life was missing pieces in certain spots. Almost like a puzzle. Some of the puzzle pieces to my life were missing. Then, I looked at you and those pieces were filled in. You fixed my messed up life, Kami."

I raised one eyebrow. "And I did that to you just by looking at you?"

"That's how it works, Kami."He shrugged and looked me up and down. He changed the subject. "How are you feeling?"

I groaned. "Horrible."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" He was instantly getting ready to do anything of my heart's desire. I thought about it and shook my head.

He relaxed. "But," I exclaimed, putting him on edge again, "you can answer me this one question." He just waited. "What kind of decision was Bella talking about that I would have to make? I understand that I took in a lot of information tonight," –maybe too much-, "but I have yet to make any sort of decision." I stared at him. As I talked his mouth formed a perfect half smile. "What, so I'm amusing now?"

"Yes, Kami. Because, no offense, but you don't catch much." He had a full smile plastered onto his flawless smile.

"Then, what is this big decision that I'm so clueless about?" I raised my voice a little higher, annoyed as all get out.

"You were supposed to decide if you were going to return my feelings. You know, this can make or break you. Make or break me, also." His face fell and looked down at our hands. "You, and only you, not anyone else, must decide if this means something to you." He held up our intertwined hands.

My mouth gaped open as he finished. Oh. My. God. This was my decision?! I moaned. "Kami, what's wrong?" He immediately was leaning over me.

I grunted out, "This is what I have to decide?" I covered my eyes with my free hand.

"Yes. You must decide if you could ever possibly love me. Be with me." His grip on my hand surprisingly loosened and I gripped firmer than before.

"Don't you dare let go. Don't ever let go…" I slowly lolled my head to the side and watched him as he smiled. "Embry… I do think that this could happen." I held our hands up. "If you love me enough to look at me and fall in love instantly, I think I can manage with returning the favor." I grinned.

He let out a relieved sigh and chuckled. "Thank you, God." He turned his head to look at me. "You have no idea how long my soul has been searching for you. I found my perfect match." He laughed to himself. "Kami, I love you."

I wrapped my head around that idea of me fitting into his life perfectly. He was a _werewolf._ Wow, that's a scary thought… But right then, I couldn't have cared less. This boy was just perfect. I slowly sat up, trying not get a head rush. When I was fully sitting up, I took my feet off the bed and sat next to Embry. I still held his hand in mine.

"I don't think that it will be that hard to learn to have those feelings." I smiled a closed mouth smile and leaned into him as he put his arm around my shoulders. I closed my eyes and thought about how natural this was. I had never felt this way… About anyone. Much less a boy I had just met.

Sure I had boyfriends before. Those feelings run as deep as kissing and cuddling during a scary movie. This feeling that Embry gave me… this is what true feelings are supposed to feel like. Embry kissed my forehead and rested his chin on the top of my head.

"All that I'm after is a life with you. All that I want is to love and be loved by you." He whispered to me. He hesitated before adding: "You're the only thing that is keeping me… alive." He pulled my closer and took his other hand away from mine and wrapped it around the front of me, connecting both of his hands.

"I promise. Just give me time and I will learn." I gazed up at him through my eyelashes. I hadn't realized that we were facing a window to the outside. I faintly felt the suns warmth begin to wash over me. I slowly looked out of the window and saw that the sun was coming over the treetops. I smiled slightly and leaned into Embry more, snuggling up to him. This was pure bliss compared to the horrible gravity sensation that I felt when I was away from him. I knew in my heart that I would, somehow, some way, fall in love with this boy that left me completely speechless by just the slightest touch.


End file.
